Though I should note I am really not a fan of mining... I find it kind of silly that money can be pulled out of thin air, and that people spend so much money on their power bills at a bite of it - I mean, it doesn't seem reasonable that I could build a PC and begin earning more than I spent on it. Some facts are lost on me.

It's a bubble, that's why it works. Though at most points in time mining isn't extremely profitable. It's mostly when prices jump that previously mined coins suddenly become valuable.